Think Like a Man Too might have been more accurately titled "Think Like the Most Hackneyed Rom-com Team Around.''

Silly, unfunny and formulaic, the film (* ½ out of four; rated PG-13; opens Friday nationwide) features the same crew (plus a few extra players) from 2012's substantially fresher Think Like a Man. This time they rendezvous in Las Vegas for the wedding of Candace (Regina Hall) and Michael (Terrence Jenkins).

In a prolonged flashback, Cedric (Kevin Hart) assumes the mantle of best man. Once in Vegas he books a palatial suite complete with his own British-accented butler.

Also returning are Dominic (Michael Ealy) and Lauren (Taraji P. Henson), whose new job opportunities threaten to derail their relationship; Zeke (Romany Malco) and Mya (Meagan Good), whose romance may be taking a serious next step; Jeremy (Jerry Ferrara) and Kristen (Gabrielle Union), who are trying to have a baby; and Bennett (Gary Owen) and Tish (Wendi McLendon-Covey), on a break from parenting duties.

On hand to be an obnoxious killjoy is Michael's overbearing mother Loretta (Jenifer Lewis), who dislikes her prospective daughter-in-law for no discernible reason. Newcomer Dennis Haysbert plays Uncle Eddie, who shows up in the nick of time for all concerned.

The first film was loosely based on the Steve Harvey book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,which aimed to empower women, providing insight into the workings of male minds. The sequel makes no pretense of such perspective.

This time it's men vs. women in a puerile contest of pre-wedding debauchery. The film comes off like a PG-13-rated Hangover with moments recalling Bridesmaids and What Happens in Vegas.

The cast of 'Think Like a Man' are reunited for a sequel. The couples vacation to Las Vegas for a wedding, but the bachelor and bachelorette parties begin to compete with eachother.
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Hart is irritatingly shrill, the guys dress up ridiculously for a male stripper contest, both genders do the age-old slow-mo walk from Reservoir Dogs, and a brawl erupts involving nearly all the players.

The only faintly fresh scenes involve music video moments where Hart dances in his underwear a la Tom Cruise in Risky Business and the girls belt out Bell Biv DeVoe's Poison. Most of the film, however, comes across as a tiresome blend of stale and frantic.

Hart's career has skyrocketed since the first movie, so this is less an ensemble comedy than "The Kevin Hart Show.'' At one point Dominic admonishes Hart's character with "This is not about you," but director Tim Story seems to be saying otherwise.

The film's editing is frenetic and only serves to amplify Hart's already high-energy, loudmouth antics. Ordinarily hilarious, he's been better in nearly every other movie he's made. He was funnier as himself on The Tonight Show this week, miming terror as he rode a roller-coaster with host Jimmy Fallon. Introducing a clip from the movie, Hart prefaced it with: "I apologize for what you're about to see ahead of time."

Wisely said.

What happened in Vegas offers no insight whatsoever into the battle of the sexes. A comedy meant to offer wisdom about gender politics, instead it's as if it opened its mouth to say something clever, and nothing came out. Or perhaps the humor just stayed in Vegas.